Health and well-being

The government has asked where possible that parents keep their young people at home and have asked schools to remain open for those children and young people who absolutely need to attend. The fewer young people in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society. If your child attends Elmfield but you have difficulty in safely caring for your child and you are a front-line worker, please contact Ruth Beachim-Ratcliffe on 07731 856326 and we will contact the Local Education Authority in order to find provision for your child at a local school.

Below you will find some useful information and links to look after your health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What to do if you are feeling unwell

The latest NHS advice regarding COVID-19 can be found by clicking here.

Emotional support

During this time of isolation, we are aware that some of our pupils may benefit from an extra level of support. Dudley Educational Psychology Team have opened a community support line and you can find further information by clicking here. If your child is experiencing emotional difficulties, please contact them directly, or contact ruth.beachim@elmfield.com and we will contact them on your behalf. They have counsellors available and can offer guidance and signposting if necessary.

Talking to children about coronavirus

We are having to make compromises and find innovative ways to continue whilst supporting the children through a time that is causing them distress and anxiety. Our Early Years Lead, Rebecca Jenkins-Handy, shared her wisdom on this, saying:

"Emotional support is very important as there are lots of scared people. Children are jittery because all the adults around them are. With the little ones we must try and keep them as sheltered as possible. Even though it seems not so, remember to a young child 'the world is good' and they do need to know that, so they have some chance of developing in a healthy and resilient way ... our mantra is 'it's for the grown-ups to worry about' in relation to positivity and handwashing!"

Our children will grow up remembering our reactions to the pandemic, rather than the coronavirus itself. We need show our children that we respond to stress and uncertainty with resilience rather than panic.

You can click here to find a blog post from the Waldorf School of Philadelphia. It addresses the topic of talking to children about COVID-19 and gives some advice which may be of interest, particularly if your child is hearing things that they don't understand, or if they are anxious about the virus.